Fallout: Equestria, Project Horizons

Chapter 33: Black

(Advisory Warning: This chapter contains a brutal scene which may be disturbing or upsetting to some readers. I've discussed this scene with others, and they've convinced me that, bad as the scene is, it should be included. I will provide a link bypassing the scene at the end of the second memory orb sequence. NOTE FROM HINDS: The link takes the form of a blue memory orb scene divider. If you're not sure how to use the link...well, actually, I only figured it out just now myself, so I'm not sure how much help I'd be. Good luck with it if you decide to use it. If not, good luck reading through the scene.)

Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons
By Somber
Chapter 33: Black

"..."

Since leaving the stable for the first time, I'd felt that my life had become one great struggle. Against enemies, or mysteries, or simply my friends' unhappiness, it was always a contest about when the Dealer would finally deal me my last hand, when the Wasteland would break me in two. It'd tried. It succeeded in 99. It'd come pretty close a few other times. Within the push of a safety toggle. But I always got dragged back. Of course, I could have just let go and allowed myself to die, even then. But I couldn't, really. I knew that I hadn't atoned yet. I still had hope that somehow I had something else to give. Some comfort. Some peace. Anything to draw a bit more of the Wasteland's attention to me so that it would leave some innocent alone for a bit longer.
And I wasn't broken yet.
The Celestia... or a part of it... had fallen atop me with a grinding metallic scream punctuated by thumps, groans, and booms. The impact pushed me down deeper and deeper, the cold depths squeezing me as my injuries burned in the salty water. My braces were now weights taped to the ends of my limbs, my tattered barding pulling me down. This was probably where I was going to die...
But not yet.
Swimming really wasn't a part of my skill set, and right now, as the water rushed around me, I didn't even know which way was up. For all I knew, I was flailing deeper and deeper into the water. I just knew that I floated in the bathtub and so hopefully the direction I was going was the right one.
Then I smashed into armored hull. The metal vibrated with terrible force; I could feel the strain humming through the plates as the Celestia tore herself to pieces. I could hear distant explosions. My lungs burned as I felt my way along the surface. Up, a primitive instinct screamed at me. Breathe! Bubbles started to leak out my nose as I crawled like a bug.
A little longer...
Then my head broke through into a pocket of air, and I gasped as the groans and screams of metal were mixed with those of ponies. I felt sorry for that. I knew there had to have been acolytes and other initiates who hadn't deserved to die down here with me. One thing was for certain, though; Steel Rain would never get the Celestia to fire another shot. If he'd managed two, I didn't see anything stopping him from firing two hundred more.
But still, I hadn't wanted them all to die this way.
I had no way to tell what I was in, or where. Suddenly, a pony surfaced beside me, screaming hysterically as she gasped for air as well. Her flailing hooves grabbed me and shoved me beneath the water again. Wildly kicking hooves smacked into my head, and I nearly lost my precious lungful of air. I could have gone back up, fought her for the ever precious bit of oxygen left in that space, but I let her have it. Good luck. I scuttled along the overturned ship, hearing swooshing water racing in somewhere. I'd probably put one hell of a hole in the bottom of this thing. I came across a pocket of air no deeper than my muzzle, but it held just enough for me to cough and sputter as I tried to get one or two more breaths.
Just a little longer. Just a little longer...
There was one last detonation, and the plates above me jerked and hammered into my head. Now I was pushed against the wreck as it started moving in the direction opposite of floating. I suddenly had an image of the upside-down ship slamming into the seabed and squishing me into paint! I wiggled and kicked and struggled as I tried to find any direction that was 'away'. Then I felt myself thrust into a slimy morass that oozed into my every nook and cranny as the ship gave a final tired groan. The sludge was being squished like the inside of a radroach, and I was squirted out into water.
My legs worked slowly, trying for some progress as I felt the silt swirling around me. My mouth worked slowly... I had to breathe... I had to... Bubbles slipped, and I felt my rear legs sink down into the sticky gunk. My rump touched down, and I sat there as a burning sensation roared inside my lungs... and then coolness spread through my chest. This wasn't so bad... Disemboweling was worse... I felt as if I were drifting away.
You win, you bony son of a bitch. Now let me rest... I'm so... tired...